• La gasinera, en funcionamiento desde finales de febrero, puede servir a más de 300 vehículos diarios, lo que supone una reducción de 800 toneladas de CO2 al año.
• Las compañías contarán con 10 gasineras en los próximos meses.
• Nortegas y Repsol alcanzaron en 2020 un acuerdo con el objetivo de poner a disposición del público una red de puntos de suministro de gas natural vehicular, integrados en las estaciones de servicio del Grupo Repsol.

The autogas filling station that Nortegas, the second natural gas distributor in Spain, and Repsol, the global multienergy company, have opened in Atalayuela, in Vallecas neighbourhood (Madrid), has now been up and running for three months. This filling station is part of the agreement reached between both companies to drive the setting up of a network of natural gas for vehicles (NGV) supply points at the Repsol Group’s service stations.

The Vallecas facility, the first autogas filling station that Nortegas and Repsol have opened in Madrid, is at the CRED La Atalayuela service station, at Kilometre 13 on the M-602 road. It serves light (cars and vans) and heavy (distribution lorries, MSW collection vehicles, urban buses, etc.) vehicles. This location has been chosen as it is strategically situated in terms of local traffic density and its proximity to logistic hubs and industrial estates.

The autogas filling station, which opened at the end of February, has two double nozzle pumps and can therefore serve over 300 vehicles a day, which will mean a reduction of 800 tonnes of CO2 a year. Furthermore, the facility is adapted to supply natural gas and biomethane, which is methane from renewable source and 100% compatible with natural gas, meaning 0 net emissions.

Setting up the facility has involved an investment of €500,000 by the two companies.

This is the first autogas filling station that Nortegas is setting up outside its spheres of influence as a gas distributor (Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias), as part of its commitment to provide the public with a NGV supply network, as part of the Repsol Group service stations.

11 autogas filling stations in the coming months

This new point on the NGV supply network joins the list of stations that Nortegas and Repsol have opened since the start of their agreement in Sestao (Vizcaya), Oiartzun (Guipúzcoa) and

Gijón (Asturias). A further seven will be added in the coming months, in Vitoria, Santander, A Coruña, Vigo, Avilés, Logroño and Pamplona; meaning a total of 11 autogas filling stations up and running.

Javier Contreras, Nortegas CEO, explained that “the goal of this partnership is to continue driving natural gas for vehicles, an environmentally responsible and economically efficient fuel that is playing a key role in the decarbonisation of mobility. It is setting up supply points for the general public that will facilitate the transition to less polluting fuels. On the other hand, we are continuing to invest in the energy transition, by applying the technology available to enable the supply of biomethane and green hydrogen when possible”.

Nortegas and Repsol partnership to drive natural gas for vehicles

In 2020, Nortegas and Repsol reached an agreement in order to provide the public with a network of autogas supply points, as part of the Repsol Group service stations.

VNG is a very suitable alternative fuel for transport. There are two types of natural gas for vehicles: compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). CNG is natural gas stored at high pressure and is used in light vehicles and some heavy vehicles, including buses, service and short- & medium-distance lorries. LNG is natural gas in liquid state and cryogenized at -161 ºC, which is used in heavy transport as it offers a greater range.

Natural gas for vehicles improves the air quality of cities: it reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 85%, eliminates 96% of solid particulate (PM) emissions and nearly all sulphur oxides (SOx). It helps to meet CO2 emission targets, as it reduces those emissions by 25% compared to traditional fuels. Furthermore, it is 100% compatible with biomethane, meaning vehicles would have net zero CO2 emissions. Therefore, the vehicles have the ECO label, granted by the National Traffic Authority (DGT), which exempts them from the traffic restrictions in cities. They are also eligible for different benefits and advantages that have begun to be applied in increasingly more autonomous regions and municipalities, such as access to controlled emission areas, discounts on charges and parking, etc.

The mechanics of the natural gas engine is similar as of the petrol one. Some engines can be converted to use natural gas instead of traditional fuel.